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Re: Is anybody currently using apitherapy for arthritis?

Originally Posted by jdmidwest

I did not have a problem with arthritis. But I was stung on 2 fingers a few weeks back and they swelled up and hurt. Joints got stiff and would not bend. Itched alot.

I've placed the stings right on the joint of my finger, and yes...it swells incredibly stiff. The skin around of the finger also gets tight as a drum. But...a day or so later, the swelling goes down and the venom produces an analgesic effect, giving the joint a little more freedom. A word of caution: remove your rings first, or you may be sorry.

I'm not saying it's for everybody, but I'm liking the results I'm seeing so far. I'm keeping a journal of dates and times and I'm going to be doing a lot of experimenting this summer. I sure love my girls.

Re: Is anybody currently using apitherapy for arthritis?

I have some deformed fingers from arthritis, it just do not bother me anymore because of intentional bee stings. 20 stings on elbows, a few on the wrists when I am hurting. My wife had Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed by several doctors; thanks to apitherapy and Gods will, she is just fine.

Re: Is anybody currently using apitherapy for arthritis?

I'm thinking about putting velcro patches on the knees of my bee pants, just to open them up and get stung there at the end of the work day. The stings sure help stop the arthritis pain, but mostly if they are right near the pain in the joint. I'm usually good for a week or two afterwards, but I probably only have the very beginning of arthritis, if that's what it is.

I get stung a lot, especially during queen rearing season. I'm fairly used to it, and have very little reaction to the stings anymore. I've gotten as many as 550 stings in one day without much problem.

Re: Is anybody currently using apitherapy for arthritis?

Do you count your stings?

Personally, I would prefer to catch the bee by the wings and apply it to the desired location, iow, the hot spot. The bee will do the rest. Several at a time to each hot spot should suffice for a hard core sting getter like you! Use fingers or tweezers to catch and leave the stingers in for awhile.

Re: Is anybody currently using apitherapy for arthritis?

I have lower back arthritis and arthritis in my wrist from a broken wrist. The lower back used to darn near put me in bed for days. I used to have to apply 5-6 stings around the lower back every 6 months, but in the last year or so I haven't had to bother with it. I don't know if the lower back is "fixed" or just in better shape. My wrist is NEVER going to be all better, because they had to remove a couple bones and fuse a few others together, but the stings do help with the arthritic pain. Good luck

Re: Is anybody currently using apitherapy for arthritis?

Allow me to generalize that "sting count" to an estimate between 450 and 700 stings that day. My girlfriend counted, lost count, started again, got frustrated, counted again and came up with 552 on one count. My nurse friend counted 691 stings. My O.C.D. friend counted 457 stings, but he didn't see my backside.

I was just happy to get the benefit from a good number of stings - my knees didn't hurt for a month after that! I just guessed 550 was a good in-between number, not boasting or anything. It did make queen rearing a bit more difficult that day.

Re: Is anybody currently using apitherapy for arthritis?

Originally Posted by kilocharlie

Allow me to generalize that "sting count" to an estimate between 450 and 700 stings that day. My girlfriend counted, lost count, started again, got frustrated, counted again and came up with 552 on one count. My nurse friend counted 691 stings. My O.C.D. friend counted 457 stings, but he didn't see my backside.

I was just happy to get the benefit from a good number of stings - my knees didn't hurt for a month after that! I just guessed 550 was a good in-between number, not boasting or anything. It did make queen rearing a bit more difficult that day.

Just so I'm clear, 450-700 stings in one day? Was this on purpose? Again just making sure I read that right. Partly because my back has been giving me fits and I was thinking about this.

Re: Is anybody currently using apitherapy for arthritis?

People that do apitherapy start out slow. The apitherapist gave us a short-duration sting and then we waited 15 minutes to make sure there was no allergy.

We were then stung maybe 3 or 4 more times that day in large areas only on trigger points. No fingers, hand, face, toes, etc. yet. The apitherapist then directed us to sting 3x a week and only increase slowly. She said to leave the stinger in 10 to 15 minutes and then remove it. She said that after our immunity was built up that we could then sting small areas.

A little venom goes a long way. No need to go overboard. Besides, a person needs to get their immunity built up to where they don't swell much or itch much. We itched terribly.............a few weeks later, hardly any itching or swelling due to getting built up. We were told that the venom is still effective even though reaction was much less. Eventually, I stung my chest 2 inches below the "hollow" by the throat and on the back in the corresponding area. This was where the lungs started. I was directed to do this by the apitherapist for lung problems including wheezing.

The venom immunity lasted more than 9 months after we quit stinging. We used ice prior to the stings. Some areas like the spine you couldn't even tell the other person had stung you yet. Couldn't see it and also could not feel it. Ice was key to that.

Not all areas are equal though. No matter how much ice I put on the palm of my hand near the wrist, it really hurt. Some areas are tender. She said sting where it hurts.

Re: Is anybody currently using apitherapy for arthritis?

Well my 4th sting this season didn't really hurt and hardly any itching. Still its hard for me to think about killing one of my girls. Heck I hate to squash one when putting a super or inner cover back on. But, at the same time I guess I take a steer to the processor just to make money

Re: Is anybody currently using apitherapy for arthritis?

Grizz, I agree with Bee Bliss. You need to start slowly with this. Start with a sting, if no problems, you can do 2 in a couple of days, maybe even work up to 4 or 5. IMO, there is no reason to take an uncontrolled number of stings like .........Charlie.

I believe the stings can help by getting your body to respond to the problem, but again be careful to not overdo it. You have the advantage of having the bees and having had the experience of being stung already.

IMO, go for it!

For me, when I do this (in my shoulder and knee), I don't even feel the pain after a few seconds, and sometime later, I remove the stingers.